I don't particularly feel like rebelling against the system I'm in, because I know how to use it to my advantage. I mean, I will graduate without any student debt, I went to Hong Kong for €200, I did the calculations yesterday and for my whole adventure here in Canada i break even. Including food and rent. I know how to get where I want, I know how to get into the right groups of people. If everything goes according to my plan I'll be in China again next year at an organizations expense. I think part of it is that I'm just lucky. If I'd be $100k in debt it'd be an entirely different story, but I'm pretty happy with this system.
It's funny because like, being white in America, I unknowingly and uncontrollably use the existing racist political/"justice" system to my advantage (simply by existing and by looking the way I do) but I still think it's a disgrace, feel guilt over it, and wish the system was less fucked. I've said it here before and again: there are days I haven't been charged with crimes that could have waylaid my career and most things I care about, simply because I am a young white attractive female. If I'd been a young black male? Oh, honey. Bye job, hello charges. I've wondered if I should fuck myself over as protest against what I'm taking advantage of: you know, like if the police question me about something, be honest instead of avoid trouble. I've mostly concluded that's not the answer. But if in the future America's race problem is solved and maybe that means more charges and convictions for whites, potentially including me? I'm okay with that. I just think that just because something doesn't harm you doesn't mean that it's okay.I don't particularly feel like rebelling against the system I'm in, because I know how to use it to my advantage.
I'm sorry, but protests should never have been and never should be about making this not true for anyone. The issue isn't that white people are "privileged" in most cases, it's that white people are treated as neutral in the US. There are few stereotypes applied to you. You aren't treated as a criminal, and a police officer will judge you on your words. Truthful and honest works make you have a higher chance of success. If we break down those stereotypes, it does NOT result in a loss for white people. Never has, never will. Equality is a win for everyone. Unless perhaps in the rare case where it is your word against a black persons, but if you are the sort of person who wouldn't be horrified by the idea and lie to get out of a place like that, you deserve nothing more than a (metaphorical, although literal works too) knife in the back. Anyone protesting for us to jail more white people for smoking weed, to arrest more white people because black people are arrested too often, are fucking idiots. Secondly, a lot of ways our system works, welfare, etc, being changed to benefit minorities more will benefit white people also. Even if not as much, it will. Imagine we shift school funding to be federal and even-per-student instead of based on property taxes. Unless you are the sort of person who grew up in the rich districts of Chicago, had a school with a fancy pool, etc, your school probably isn't going to be worse off. If you are in one of those schools, it's probably likely that the money didn't really help you very much anyways (the first ten dollars matters a lot, the last ten gets spent on aquatic centers that don't really change lives) There is nothing to lose, and everything to gain.I've wondered if I should fuck myself over as protest against what I'm taking advantage of: you know, like if the police question me about something, be honest instead of avoid trouble.
Fuck off. I feel guilty for having gotten away with crimes I know black people wouldn't get away with. That's not about protesting that's about my lived experience demonstrating to me that because I'm not a young black male I haven't gotten in trouble for shit. I'm allowed to recognize that disparity and feel that it's wrong and feel guilty for having been let loose because there's an expectation that I'm not "trouble" because of the way I look. I've been in situations, talking to the cops and lying through my teeth, where a person of the same age but a different demographic would have been arrested and I've walked away scott free. It's stupid, by the way, if you think telling the cops the absolute truth is the way to handle them.
At no point did I ever, anywhere, say that white people should be prosecuted against more. But you know what? If a ton of black people repeatedly get ticketed for going 80mph in a 60 and a ton of white people repeatedly get off with warnings, i don't think the "equal" solution is suddenly letting everyone get away with speeding. I repeat, FUCK OFF, I DONT GIIVE A SHIT ABOUT YOUR SHIT.
Black people get ticketed more because a police officer is more likely to see less of them and subconsciously that leads to more tickets. Reducing that does not cause them to give more tickets overall, unless there is a quota going on or the reduction comes from a shift to viewing white people as criminal. I'm allowed to recognize that disparity and feel that it's wrong and feel guilty for having been let loose because there's an expectation that I'm not "trouble" because of the way I look. And that's fine, but that guilt should be driven towards bringing others up, not denouncing yourself and feeling like you have wronged somebody. Enjoy that you have something that everyone should have, and ensure that you are not abusing that privilege by claiming that black people are just inherently more criminal and that's why you get off, and by trying to extend that great good to everyone in society. You shouldn't feel guilty about this, you should feel enraged these basic rights of being treated by a human being based on your clothes, actions, etc, rather than race, do not belong to everyone. The real way is not speaking. However, I would guess cops would give you a speeding ticket should they see you lying on radar, and I would guess cops would have more chance if you are friendly and respectful with them. And I'm not the sort of person who fucks off. Sorry. The plauge is a bit harder to get rid of than that. You can always retreat under your blanket and mute me though. That's sure to promote thoughtful discussion!At no point did I ever, anywhere, say that white people should be prosecuted against more. But you know what? If a ton of black people repeatedly get ticketed for going 80mph in a 60 and a ton of white people repeatedly get off with warnings, i don't think the "equal" solution is suddenly letting everyone get away with speeding.
Fuck off. I feel guilty for having gotten away with crimes I know black people wouldn't get away with.
It's stupid, by the way, if you think telling the cops the absolute truth is the way to handle them.
Sorry buddy, I'm not here to have thoughtful discussions with everyone, just like if I were on okcupid I wouldn't be on it with the purpose of dating everyone. You and I ain't compatible - I'm under no obligation to speak to you or let you speak to me when I can control it. So yes, I will mute you, and gladly. Suck a bag of dicks and kick rocks.
Thoughtful discussion does not occur when you speak only to approved audiences. The only people you can't have real discussion with are trolls that only look to make others angry. Just as you are under no obligation to speak to me, I am under no obligation to keep silent for your sake. Goes both ways. Have a nice day.
I agree wholeheartedly. Reading my comment back I realize that a) I sound selfish and b) it might not be so relevant to the US situation as I'd thought and c) that I am probably that lucky (white) guy who gets away with it. To be honest, I just wanted to add to the discussion any way I could, because I think there is a whole lot wrong with education in all sorts of ways, both in Europe and in the US (although you guys have it way worse on the financial side of things). I feel the same about the Ferguson / racism issue that is at hand now, but I don't respond there because I know I have nothing meaningful to say.I just think that just because something doesn't harm you doesn't mean that it's okay.
Holy shit will you teach me your waysI mean, I will graduate without any student debt, I went to Hong Kong for €200, I did the calculations yesterday and for my whole adventure here in Canada i break even. Including food and rent. I know how to get where I want, I know how to get into the right groups of people. If everything goes according to my plan I'll be in China again next year at an organizations expense.
Step 1: Be efficient at what you study, so you have free time to do other things. In my case, I really enjoy the topics I study so learning goes easy. Step 2: Chase extracurriculars and connections in that free time. In my case, Honours College (which got me the cool trip to HK and Berlin), committees. Offering to help profs out. Get to know people through chasing cool stuff that requires some work. 95% of the people just aren't willing to put effort in, and most of the stuff you can do alongside regular studies are a) worth it, b) gets you to meet people and c) is fun most of the time. Step 3: Use these connections / events as reasons why organizations should give you money. It looks really good if your application has 2 recommendations from professors attached. Got €1600 that way for going to Canada. Step 4: Profi- eh, break even. :)
Yeah I'm mainly talking about the Dutch system I'm in. To what degree it also applies to the US is not up to me to judge. What I do think is that there are a lot of people who don't even try to make the best of their possibilities while they're studying. The financial support and cool opportunities weren't there for the taking, I had to put serious effort in to get it done. I'm the only person from my faculty to study outside of Europe, because I app. Some of my peers just don't even bother chasing the opportunities that they have. There's a lot wrong with the current education system, both in the Netherlands and the US, I agree. Still, the current generation is the best educated and most diverse as far as I know. I don't think society is going to downhill just yet.